This application relates generally to gas turbine engine airfoil arrays. More particularly, this application relates to influencing fluid flow near the leading edge portions of the airfoils within the airfoil array.
Gas turbine engines are known and typically include multiple sections, such as a fan section, a compression section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust nozzle section. The fan section moves air into the engine. The air is compressed in the compression section. The compressed air is mixed with fuel and is combusted in the combustor section. Products of the combustion expand to rotatably drive the engine.
Some sections of the engine include vane arrays, blade arrays, or both. Air within the engine moves through fluid flow passages in the arrays. The fluid flow passages are established by adjacent airfoils projecting from laterally extending endwalls. As known, air approaching the fluid flow passages can separate from portions of the arrays. The separation within the engine can disadvantageously increase aerodynamic losses and can contribute to locally increased convective heat loads. The separation often occurs in vane arrays or blade arrays having airfoils with low camber angles, such as some of the airfoils within the turbine section of the engine.